According to RIBA’s Latest Future Trends Survey, whilst figures show a slight increase in practices’ workload and staffing levels, it was confirmed that only 55% of students were among those hired. This, compared to last year’s figure of 83% is a huge drop conveying how bleak the prospects are for a graduate architecture student this year.
Understandably, practices are choosing to keep their most experienced and talented architects adopting a more ‘last in, first out’ approach to other members of staff should redundancies occur. This means that not only are this year’s graduates competing against each other, but more than likely, also against those graduates from two years previous. A worrying prospect to say the least.
With limited job prospects for student graduates here in the UK, employment may be sought after in other countries. ‘Great!’ I hear you all say, however possibly not so if you wish to go for your Part 3...
We all know that in order to obtain your Part 3 qualification you must have completed ‘24 months’ professional experience in architecture’, 12 of which must be completed within the UK. It states however, that this 12 month period must be completed ‘after passing, or gaining exemption from, Part 2, under the direct supervision of an UK registered architect.’ This suggests that for anyone who wishes to undertake their Part 3, they must find employment in the UK, which according to the figures only half of us will have the chance of doing; and for any successful students which obtain work overseas, the option of doing their Part 3 is withheld from them. This seems extremely unfair, considering that many practices overseas are in fact UK registered.
RIBA, although a UK based body, provides architecture and the architectural profession ‘support for our 40,500 members worldwide in the form of training, technical services, publications and events, and set standards for the education of architects, both in the UK and overseas.’ There are UK RIBA registered architects working in Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden etc, etc. – the list goes on. They will all have gone through the same Part 3 process, and with RIBA’s continual support, should be able to aid and help students with their Part 3 qualification.
Rather than stating that for a 12 month period of our 24 month professional experience, we should gain experience in the UK under a UK registered architect, it should simply state that 12 months should be gained under the direct supervision of a UK registered architect therefore enabling any student who works in a UK registered practice regardless of its location to still obtain their Part 3 qualification.
On trying to obtain further clarification whether this is possible or not, I referred to the ARB’s ‘Practical Training Guidelines – Frequently Asked Questions’ booklet. In this it does state that the ARB are flexible with which year you complete your professional experience overseas but at the same time, it recommends you to consult with your chosen school for completion of the Part 3 exam suggesting that ‘you may find it easier to prepare for your exam and to gain the required experience if you are working in the UK immediately prior to sitting the examination’. After all this I am still left confused as to whether it is possible and/or recommended to complete your Part 3 overseas, and if it is why does it appear to be treated as a special circumstance?
Of course each overseas practice will be working to different planning and building regulations but this difference already exists in the UK between England and Scotland so it should not cause any issue. The principles remain the same wherever – that is, the ability to respect and comply with rules and restrictions whilst still obtain an appropriate architectural solution. Also many UK practices are now working on overseas projects, so to have already grasped another countries architectural system whilst completing your Part 3 must surely be extremely advantageous to potential employers? Especially when added to the fact that you may have already completed 12 months Part 1 experience in the UK.
The internet should make all the practical issues of enabling a Part 3 qualification to be obtained overseas possible, just like it has enabled many of our UK practices to submit for, and be successful with projects abroad. This already ongoing dialogue between countries and cultures should be encouraged rather than penalised or made difficult.
Given the economic climate therefore, it may well be time for RIBA and ARB to modernise themselves at both the macro and mirco levels. In other words become reflective of the globalisation occurring within architecture, but also being aware of the needs and welfare of its students.
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I'm glad to see that someone is writing about the plight of the under-qualified, and I would also include the recently qualified in this employment bubble. I fear that the stigma of being made redundant (last in - first out) and having less than 2 years post-part 2 experience may make it just as difficult for those of us that have managed to make their way through the RIBA/ARB/APEAS systems and pass the part 3 exam.